An official checking the moisture content at a mall in Jagtial district.
Hyderabad
Paddy procurement through Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP) centers in Telangana has picked up speed during the ongoing Yasangi (Rabi) season, with official figures indicating significant arrivals and movement of stocks.
According to official sources, about 11 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of rice has reached 3,563 shopping centers set up across the state under the supervision of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA). Of this, nearly 7 million metric tons were extracted and transported to rice mills.
The government has expanded the procurement network beyond its target of setting up 3,400 IKP centers annually, with another 100 centers already operational. Officials said more centers would be opened depending on the extent of paddy arrivals in different districts.
Women’s self-help groups (SHGs) play a significant role in managing procurement operations, with nearly 40% of the centers being managed by them. They are involved in key activities like weighing rice, maintaining records, transporting supplies to mills and updating transaction details online. Officials said their participation has helped streamline operations and handle higher volumes effectively.
The state government, under the auspices of the Society for Eradication of Rural Poverty (SERP) and district authorities, is monitoring procurement at thousands of centers to ensure timely lifting of stocks and avoid inconvenience to farmers.
Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Seethakka reviewed the progress and issued instructions to speed up procurement and minimize delays in malls.
The minister also emphasized the need to speed up key processes. “Weighing, transportation and online registration of paddy fish should be done without delay,” she said, calling for closer coordination among officials at all IKP centres.
Published – 09 May 2026 20:40 IST
